Blazing Saddles
Seen it?1974 | 93 min | Western, Comedy
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
People are still talking about it, it earned strong reviews (89% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it drew serious awards attention. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved The Ballad of Buster Scruggs or The Harder They Fall, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Provocative satire that goes after everyone.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 33 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Made in 1974: an older pace and style.
Crafty railroad worker Bart becomes the first Black sheriff of Rock Ridge, a frontier town about to be destroyed in order to make way for a new railroad. Initially, the citizens of Rock Ridge harbor a racial bias toward their new protector. However, they warm to him after realizing that Bart and his perpetually drunk gunfighter friend Jim are their only defense against a wave of thugs sent to rid the town of its population.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
89% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Film Awards: Best Screenplay. Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Awards: Best Comedy – Written Directly for the Screenplay. Also nominated for 3 Oscars. Plus 1 other award.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$120 million worldwide on a $3 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 571K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Mel Brooks
- Cleavon LittleBart
- Gene WilderJim
- Slim PickensTaggart
- Harvey KormanHedley Lamarr
- Madeline KahnLili Von Shtupp
- Mel BrooksWilliam Le Petomane / Indian Chief
- Burton GilliamLyle
- Alex KarrasMongo
- David HuddlestonOlson Johnson
- Liam DunnRev. Johnson